


the flip of a coin (or, in some other universe, Mike has a uterus)

by thatotherperv



Category: Suits (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Always the Opposite Sex, Alternate Universe - Canon, Gen, written before s2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-20
Updated: 2012-01-27
Packaged: 2017-10-30 05:47:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/328414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatotherperv/pseuds/thatotherperv
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>a retelling of the pilot (and beyond) where Mike is more of a Micah.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Micah

**Author's Note:**

> "chapter 1" was originally posted [here]() in reponse to a prompt, in which OP wanted to know what changed and what stayed the same, if Mike were born female. that part's been buffed up, and the rest is new. 
> 
> calling this gen because it's only as slashy (hetty?) as canon. But, you know...it's pretty much pre-slash. het. whatever.

When the briefcase pops open, Micah figures she can flirt her way to freedom. Because at first glance, she takes Harvey Specter for a very well-dressed neanderthal. 

It's nothing personal. In her experience, there's one slobbering beneath every power suit.

Three seconds later, she jumps ship on that tactic. Instead, she tells the bald truth like a boast, like it's something she pulled off, like it's something to be proud of, not her lowest moment.

She's not sure how it happens. But she walks out with a job... _the_ job, her _dream_ job...and a tiny, nascent crush on her soon-to-be boss.

She'll get over that part. Probably.

*

"Wow. You're pretty."

Micah's always had a very thin filter between her brain and her mouth, but this is particularly bad, even for her. The girl – Rachel – blinks in surprise.

"Wow. I thought I could skip this part of the speech, for you. This does, however, give me the opportunity to say up front that Pearson Hardman does not discriminate based on sexual orientation. Neither do I. Your shiny new JD would not blind me any more effectively if you were male."

She's a little mortified. "Um. Good to know. I'm straight though. Mostly."

"Whatever. Take notes, I'm not going to repeat myself."

Rachel turns on her heel and strides off in a way that – despite the attitude – draws maximum notice to her ass. Micah tips her head and watches her go. 

She did say 'mostly.'

At that moment, she's not sure if she'd rather jump Rachel, or _be_ her.

*

By the end of the tour, she's thawed some of the permafrost, just because she listened. Which, she thinks later, is fair warning about the crap she could expect to get from the male associates.

Within the first five minutes, she nearly knees this Kyle guy in the balls.

*

Micah experiences a cold, sharp spike of panic when Harvey says "you're fired." 

She's pretty sure it doesn't show. She doesn't actually mean to _blackmail_ him? But...hey, whatever works.

When she's done being almost-fired, Harvey walks out without an explanation. She tries out his swanky desk chair til she gets a look from Donna, and passes the rest of the time that he's gone by fondling his balls.

Heh. 

The ones that are signed.

When he comes back, he hands her her own case. She can't hide her excitement, and she doesn't even try. 

She's bouncing out the door when Harvey calls her back. "Hey, wait, come here." He frowns when she turns back to face him, eyes roaming up and down her body. He looks...constipated. "What the _hell_ are you wearing?"

Micah doesn't bother to reply...she has no new information to add to what he's seeing. But what's really funny is... "Did you just assign me a sexual harassment case before questioning my wardrobe? In, like, consecutive breaths?"

"This has nothing to do with – did you even – are you wearing _biker boots_?"

"Um." She looks down at her feet, as if she doesn't already know. It's less to remind herself of her footwear, and more to reevaluate this morning's selection. Not that she had many choices. She owns three pairs of shoes. "I figured they were more officy than my Chuck T's?"

The utter look of horror that crosses Harvey's face nearly makes her laugh. 

"Seriously, though, I can't ride my bike in heels."

"Ride your - " Harvey pinches the bridge of his nose. "Go. Tomorrow, please wear something you didn't purchase at the thrift store."

Yeah, like that's gonna happen. She leaves, making no guarantees.

*

She has to wonder, vaguely, if her status as a female is what brought her this particular case. She knows that happens, although the irony's large. 

If that's what Harvey was thinking, it was pointless. She relates and sympathizes, but not through her experience. A widow with a child? She's never even had a dog. And Micah's never been harrassed. Well. Guys are horndogs, but. Nothing she couldn't handle. And anyway, since before she grew tits, Trevor had her back, and once she _did_ have them he took to looming in a possessive manner. 

After a while, he didn't need to. He deterred them in absentia.

By junior year she had to tell him not to be a cockblock. But for the most part, she benefited from that protective umbrella.

So she can't relate to Nancy through her own life experience. Though it's fucked up in its own way, now that she stops to think about it. Her 'no' always meant 'no' cuz it was backed by Trevor's fists. 

Anyway. She decides it's not a Statement. Harvey's slightly condescending when she reports back on the case, but when he mocks her over _caring_ he never implies that she's doing it with her vagina. 

She's not all that sure Harvey knows she even has one. So far, she might as well be a disembodied brain.

Which...is kind of sweet, actually. After the crap Nancy went through.

*

She does feel harassed by the way Louis says "special welcome." He's super creepy, but she doesn't think the 'with my penis' is intended. She thinks that's just...his face.

Which is unfortunate for him.

*

She has an insane first few days. Between the work, Trevor's drama, and Harvey treating her like a guy with his _rub dirt on it_ crap, Micah forgets how hot he is for a whole day and a half.

And then, she sees him in the courtroom. He struts and preens, and smirks like he's _flirting_ , and she just. Can't. He gets the judge to rule for them and to _smile_ while he does it.

Then he gives her all the credit.

She gets the thing wrong from The Godfather to distract from her embarrassment. She's actually giddy, and that's just. No. His ego doesn't need that.

*

Cutting ties with Trevor hurts more than a little...but that's kind of the point. Doing _anything_ with Trevor comes with a dose of pain. She takes a wad of cash that she figures he actually owes her, and walks out the door with the briefcase gaping wide.

Jenny and her, things have always been awkward. But Trevor's moving serious inventory. She deserves to know, at least.

Harvey isn't Trevor - the understatement of the century - but there's still something about him that says: _frying pan, fire_. She doesn't buy his whole 'completely heartless' schtick, but he still might be a douchebag. 

Christ, she has a type.


	2. Harvey

Micah Ross is, by far, Harvey's favorite new toy.

Not in the objectifying-my-female-subordinate way. Even if he were the type to do that (and he's not), Harvey Specter likes grown women. Micah's very much a girl. And occasionally, a frat boy.

No, she's more like a high performance vehicle – for surprising the shit out of people. And she's in _his_ garage, nobody else's, no matter what Louis tries to pull.

Unfortunately, most high-performance machines require daily maintenance. Frequent, hands-on attention, and when a single thing goes wrong, the consequences are expensive. 

He prefers machines that self-monitor and -correct, but the problem with going top-of-the-line is that things aren't made for amateurs. 

…Ok. He objectifies her. But not the way most people do. 

Because he's not blind – she's attractive. Unfortunate wardrobe and haircut aside, the implied invitations get extended by every male she interacts with. 

They're painfully transparent. They see Horrifically Casual Barbie. They don't know Brain Is Included. Micah either doesn't notice or pretends not to quite effectively, which doesn't help their assumptions.

So Harvey enjoys it immensely when he can unleash her on the world.

If he could've bottled the moment when she won the pro bono harassment case.... Hunt had been too occupied imagining in detail how he'd harass _Micah_ , and he hadn't known what hit him.

When his skinny, still-poorly-dressed associate – who cut her own hair, Christ – threatened the CEO of a Fortune 500 with prison rape while smirking, it took all Harvey's experience and a strategically placed nose-scratch not to laugh.

And that was really just the test drive.

*

Harvey's not surprised when Micah shows up high.

No, scratch that. He's not surprised to learn she's fallen off the wagon – disappointed, but not shocked. He _is_ surprised she does it during _work hours_. Furious, in fact. 

Frankly, if she were capable of recreational use, he wouldn't care if she still smoked. If she's productive, passes drug tests, and doesn't get caught, she's a grown damn woman. 

He just knows that's not an option. If she was ever recreational, those days are long behind her. She can't be trusted with the stuff.

Case in point, her careening around his office like a moron.

He doesn't expect her to do this on her own. But she doesn't have to know that. Given what he knows about her loser dealer ex (friend or boyfriend, he's still skeptical), he's not eager to encourage her to glom onto him instead. Harvey finds blind loyalty annoying in the extreme.

And he doesn't have patience for her righteous anger over privileges she hasn't earned yet. But despite the impression he gives her, he _is_ listening to her reasons. 

"He pulled out the drug test, which I failed by the way, and then he told me that if I didn't smoke pot to help him land this client, then he'd fire me." Harvey's jaw twitched. Under no circumstances should a partner be inciting his subordinate to break the law. Much less _someone else's_. "Actually, I think he kind of hinted I should sleep with Tom as well, which is funny cuz I'm pretty sure he's gay. But by that point, I was just glad _Louis_ wasn't trying to get in my pants...because for a while there, I wasn't sure. Anyway, the point is, the pot was just...is it so different from asking someone out for drinks?"

It's a little hard for Harvey to process how many aspects of that rant are pissing him off. Oh yeah. After that? He and Louis have to talk.

But there are many, many ways she could've dealt with that situation, and she chose one of the worst. She has to learn that the well-worn path of least resistance is not an option any more.

So he gives her tough love and sends her on her way, and lets her sweat it. She's already forgiven, but she doesn't need to know that.

His tactic is rewarded when she brings Tom Keller to him, as apology and bribe. 

*

Between this, that and the other thing – including the adulterous affair Harvey never even had – he doesn't get the chance to ream Louis until close of business. 

"I'm telling you right now, if you try to move in on her – and I mean in _any_ way - "

Louis looks at him like he has three heads. "Harvey, where is this coming from?"

"I'll tell you where it's coming from. Mentorship doesn't include illegal substances." Louis has the grace to look vaguely guilty at that, but what comes next makes his eyes pop out of his head. "Nor does it include asking associates to sleep with potential clients."

"What? Nonononono." Suddenly Louis looks alarmed, and Harvey is appeased. He's broadcasting surprised denial with every gesture imaginable. "I just told her, you know, flirt. Make him feel good. We suck up all the time."

"I'm not sure what's more alarming, that you're a lawsuit waiting to happen, or that you don't seem to know it. _Think_ before you speak, and keep your hands to yourself." Harvey turns to go, satisfied that Louis is green. "And for God's sake, don't give the pony speech to the female associates. It's creepy enough with the men."

Harvey thinks it's a win-win. Louis will now steer clear of Micah without thinking it's personal for Harvey – which would've only egged him on. Also, someone really needed to tell him that he made people uncomfortable. Harvey knows it's not malicious, but good God. 

Of course, the topper is revealing that Micah passed the drug test. Louis has yet to experience the business end of her brain trained on him, and today, he's more than earned it.

As he lets her off the leash, his only regret there is that there's no subtle way to watch.


	3. Donna

Donna...doesn't hate Micah. She can be very amusing, and she means well (sometimes _too_ well), and she's impressed Harvey repeatedly, so that tells Donna something.

But Micah also interrupts her workday every couple hours, with stupid questions and outrageous requests, like Donna is a mama bird who's meant to chew her food up for her. Donna's glare rolls off like water, and she has yet to find a way to strike fear in Micah's heart as is healthy for an underling.

She seems to think that they're best friends. Donna knows schmoozing, and this isn't even that. Micah's never met a stranger. Donna prefers people at arm's length.

There's nothing _wrong_ with Micah, aside from her potential to torpedo Harvey's career in the most spectacular way. Donna just doesn't love her.

She _does_ find Harvey's mix of pride, frustration and fondness to be particularly entertaining, though. The Harvey and Micah Show is her new favorite program. In all her years by Harvey's side, she's never seen him react this way to anyone.

So she _knows_ what it's about – or who – when Harvey comes to her with a pinched look on his face. "I have a problem."

"Just one?" she feigns surprise.

"Well. Just one that I can't fix myself." Donna gives him a look, to convey how often he fixes things _all by himself_ , and Harvey tips her a little acknowledgment. "But this one, I'm truly ill-equipped."

Now she's curious. "What do you need?"

"Micah...." He grimaces again, eyes roving like he's scared they're being surveilled. "Well. You've seen her. I can't just send her to Rene, unfortunately. I clearly can't let her dress herself, either."

Donna smiles, though she's slightly less than amused. "Harvey Specter, are you asking me to take your girl shopping? Have you added 'fashion consultant' to my title? If so, I want a pay raise."

Annoyance flickers across Harvey's face. "First, don't call her 'my girl,' that makes me sound like a creepy old pervert. I just want her to look professional. Second, I'm asking you to...ok, yes, I'm asking you to take her shopping. But it's more tricky than that."

"Explain."

"She can't really afford the quality of clothing she needs at the moment, and she pretty much needs...everything."

Donna frowns. "Harvey, her salary - "

"She has additional expenses," he says vaguely. "She can't afford the image that I need her to present, and bottom line, I need her up to par sooner than later."

"So...you need me to take her shopping, so that A) she buys something other than concert t-shirts, and B) I can charge it to your business card."

"That portion of the bill will have to come from my checking. Jessica would kill me if I expense it. But also, it's more tricky than that."

Of course, Donna thinks, privately. Because that wasn't asking enough. "How?"

"If she's given the choice between dressing badly and getting help, she's going to dig her heels in and look like a hobo forever. So I need you to make it seem, somehow...make her think that things aren't cheap, but - "

"Say no more. In sum, you want me to divine, somehow, the upper limit of her budget, guide her into a full wardrobe that you'll approve of – but that she'll actually wear – reprice things on the fly so that they don't exceed what she can spend, and covertly cover the rest of the bill, all while hiding from everyone but you what I'm actually doing."

Harvey gives her a little-boy-lost look that has dropped a thousand panties. It does not affect her. Mostly.

"Done. But I want a spa weekend, full package."

Harvey grins. "Let me guess – you've already booked the reservation?"

"Yup." She saw this coming that first day the girl wore biker boots.

"You're a goddess."

"Believe me, I know."

*

She pulls Rachel Zane into the scheme – her reasons are many-fold. 

She suspects she'll need peer pressure to mold Micah to her will. The girls are already friends, and Rachel has good taste. Plus, she'll end up providing unknowing distraction while Donna fixes the bill.

Donna's got that figured out – it won't be all that hard. 

Rachel, for all her self-determination, still has a blind spot with money. She's prone to picking what she wants and handing her card over at the counter. There's usually a belated read of the receipt, but the damage is already done.

Donna has learned, the hard way, that this attitude's contagious. She's had buyer's remorse after each of their sprees. This is helpful, in this instance, because Micah should be swept along in Hurricane Trust Fund Shopper.

Rachel also tends to shop where price tags are seen as gauche – if you have to check, you can't afford it. Which will make the ruse much easier.

It won't hurt that Micah's almost certainly unable to accurately price these things. It's probably never occurred to her that a skirt can _be_ $600 – Donna remembers those days. Selling her the clothes for a fraction of the price shouldn't be a problem.

*

Donna and Rachel get along because they're similar in inclination. Micah...isn't. Donna expects a day of long-suffering annoyance punctuated by extreme amusement – this is the reaction to the girl she typically has at the office. 

Instead, Donna has fun. Micah's antics are more amusing when Donna's not being interrupted, and that makes a big difference. She also doesn't fight the shopping trip – clearly she's noticed her wardrobe's inadequate, and she's almost grateful to have her arm twisted. 

Donna also sees her anxiety over the money, although she hides it well. She's never felt sorry for the "overworked associate," since most of them don't appreciate their starting salary enough. Yes, the city sucks the life from you with cost of living, and yes, a certain degree of spending is required by the job, but every time one of them calls themselves 'broke' she wants to drop them off in Harlem.

But that kind of flippant self-effacement isn't what she's seeing in Micah. This is the caution of someone used to being hungry, and not even a case of Micah not recognizing her new means. Micah's still living paycheck-to-paycheck. Donna has to wonder why. She doesn't think Micah is a mother, but she could be wrong about that. The only logical answer's a dependent...most other money drains wouldn't get (covert) sympathy from Harvey. 

So it also helps her to like Micah when she's reassured that this isn't a fool's errand. Still, though, she doesn't expect to _enjoy_ her like she does.

Donna and Rachel get along because they can both be bitchy when you cross them. They like each other, truly, but any ruffled feathers are smoothed by mutually assured destruction. It's fun to be as snide as she wants without any consequences – that's the foundation of their friendship.

Donna would suspect that throwing Micah in this mix would be about as kind as locking a fluffy little bunny in a room with hungry tigers. But she actually holds her own, which is when she starts to win Donna over.

She's seen this at the office, but most people tend to crack under prolonged exposure to Donna's personality. And she's in good form as they try things on, testing Micah's limits.

What Donna discovers is this: Micah doesn't seem to mind when Donna's a Mean Girl, but instead of firing back like Rachel would, she treats Donna with a casual kind of awe. Like Donna's her big sister, so the mocking is ok.

It's...reluctantly very charming. She thinks she sees exactly how Harvey got sucked in. Rachel, too apparently.

But the best part of the day is when she sees the bunny's fangs. Micah treats _their_ snide remarks as good-natured, gentle kidding, but when a snobby sales girl steps too far, Micah just...shreds her.

With the power of her brain. And then Donna _knows_ how Harvey got suckered.

Donna watches the blood bath with big eyes and leans towards Rachel, who's also enjoying the show. "I really didn't want to, but...I think I love her, a little."

"I know," Rachel sighs. "Same here."

"Micah," Donna interrupts eventually...because honestly, the sales girl is such a dim bulb that she really only gets that she's being insulted. The fine roasting she's receiving is lost on her entirely. "Didn't your mother teach you not to pick on those less fortunate?"

Both edges of the comment clearly find their mark as Harvey's girl beams and the clerk flushes guiltily.

Micah turns her back on the sales girl, who's splitting Micah's purchase (or the portion that she knows about) between three cards – the request that started the spat in the first place. It's a more effective snub than all her pointed words, and she doesn't even mean it as such. She's clearly just bored with all this.

"I'm hungry. I could go for chili cheese fries."

Donna hides a smile as Rachel tries to tempt her into trying something new, and the sales clerk gives her the stink eye for having _that_ diet and _that_ figure. "Children, you're giving me a headache. Go play outside in traffic while she rings me up."

She listens to them squabble all the way out the door, and gives the girl behind the counter a look that _dares_ her to comment on Donna covering half of Micah's clothes.

As if Harvey weren't hard enough to care for, now she's taking on another needy creature (who also refuses to recognize just how much she needs). 

Good thing she's giving herself a raise next week.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure I'm done with this verse yet, but this seemed to complete the fill and probably the gen portion, so I figured I'd share!


End file.
